CX revises smart saver fares
September 2, 2009 by TTRweekly Staff
Filed under News, Travel Deals
Cathay Pacific Airways sells newly revised Smart Saver fares, with up to a 50% discount on some routes. These fares are on sale through travel agents, airline’s ticketing offices as well as on the airline’s website, until 31 October.
The airline’s sales and marketing manager, Thailand and Myanmar, Yongyuth Lujintanont, said: “These discounts should stimulate travel. It will deliver volume, but not yield, which should help us get out of the red and possible return to black by the end of the year.”
Ex-Bangkok, the lowest Smart Saver economy-class fares, excluding taxes and surcharges, are: Bt7,200 to Hong Kong; Bt23,500 to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Rome; Bt9,100 to Beijing, Kunming, Shanghai, Xiamen and Chengdu; Bt6,700 to Colombo; Bt9,000 to Delhi; Bt8,10 to Mumbai; Bt11,500 to Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka and Tokyo; Bt13,00 to Karachi; Bt27,300 to Los Angeles; Bt33,000 to New York; Bt30,000 to San Francisco; Bt11,900 to Seoul and Bt3,800 to Singapore.
Business class fares with a six-month validity are: Bt18,500 to Hong Kong; Bt84,400 to European cities; Bt19,400 to Beijing; Bt14,800 to Chengdu;Bt17,400 to Colombo and Shanghai; Bt20,500 to Delhi; Bt16,100 to Mumbai; Bt35,000 to Japanese cities and Seoul; Bt24,700 to Karachi; Bt12,000 to Kunming; Bt15,200 to Xiamen; Bt80,500 to LA; Bt114,000 to New York; BtBt94,000 to San Francisco and Bt12,700 to Singapore
CX country manager, Thailand, Maggie Yeung, said the airline was assessing demand and whether it should add frequency between Hong Kong and Bangkok after it reduced to five flights a day prior to the influenza outbreak. The frequency then dropped to 31 flights a week.
Sister carrier, Dragon Air, operates nine flights a week between Phuket and Hong Kong and may increase frequency, later this year.
From its home base, Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific will commence a four-weekly service to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia from 25 October. Meanwhile, its sister, Dragon Air will commence double daily flights to Guangzhou from 14 September. Cathay Pacific has code share agreement on these Guangzhou flights.
Good value from CX, but when will Asian carriers wake up to quoting surcharges and taxes included? The rack rates are attractive, but you suddenly find unexplained surcharges and taxes, which even to a travel insider are confusing, let alone a mere civilian. TG better read these prices carefully, because everything they have on offer is squillions more, and a little stopover in Hong Kong on a very long journey is worth the time, not to mention better inflight catering, seats, entertainment and service.